‘Water’ opening Indian Film Fest

News Brief

L.A.’s fourth annual Indian Film Fest will open April 19 with Deepa Mehta’s “Water,” a Fox Searchlight release. Musician Ravi Shankar will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the opening gala.

“We are ecstatic about working with a major studio like Fox Searchlight, which clearly shows the growth of Indian cinema in North America,” said fest’s exec director Christina Marouda

Mehta and “Water” star Lisa Ray will attend the fest, which runs April 19-23, is the only event in North America dedicated to Indian cinema.